Vibrator



Nov. 28, 1939. J. OSTER 2,181,282

VIBRATOR Filed Dec. 9, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 f 1 1 If??? 6 Z J6 .Ifj. 2

J. OSTER VIBRATOR Nov. 28, 1939.

Filed Dec. 9, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jay/ m- 7512 Nov. 28, 1939. J. OSTER 2.181282 VIBRATOR Filed Dec. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 28,1939 I I 2,181,282

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VIBRATOB John Oster, Racine, Wis., asslgnor to John Oster Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 9, 1937, Serial No. 178,945

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-36) This invention relates to vibrators and refers chine to slip off of the hand, these spring grips particularly to hand vibrators of the type used could not be easily cleaned or sterilized, obvi by masseurs and barbers. Generally, these maously a vital consideration.

chines are strapped on the back of the hand in This invention therefore has as another of its 5 such a way as to leave the fingers free for masobjects to provide improved fastening bands or 5 saging manipulation, grips for holding the machine to the hand which While several difierent schemes have been emare so designed as to pos y preclude pployed to produce the desired vibration, one of P while at the Same time leaving the hand the more practical, constructions obtained vibraentirely e for massaging p t on.

tion by suspending an electric motor between This invention alsO p ates the prov 1Q stationary bearings carried by the base of the $1011 o elastic bands 01 gr ps which may be easily machine. One end of the motor was flexibly supl ed a d sterilized. ported from one bearing, which also held the A fu t e ob c of this inv is to o motor against turning, and the other d of th tach the bands or grips to the machine that ratmotor received support from the other bearing tling noises which were inherent in past eon- 15 by having the motor shaft projecting from that struetiens are e y e atedend of the motor eccentrically connected with t e above and other objects in view the bearing. As a result of this eccentric conwhich w appear as the esc pt on p oceeds, nection, the motor and consequently the entire this invention resides in the novel construction,

0 m hi i t d h i operation combination and arrangement of parts substan- Th speed of t meter and hence t fretially as hereinafter described, and more particuquency of the vibrations was controlled 'by a, larly defined by the pp Claims, it being rheostat in the power supply line; but these past e st od hat suc changes in the precise emmachines had no provision for regulating th bodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may amplitude of the vibration, and as a result the be made as Come Within the Scope of the 25 penetration or eflect of the vibration was prac- The accompanying d w s illustrate two tically the same regardless of its speed or freeemplete examples of the p ys a embodiment quency, of the invention constructed in accordance with Dee penetration is often hi 1 undesirable, the best modes so far devised for the practical and consequently, the lack of facilities for adjustapplication of the Principles eo a d in 30 ing the amplitude of the vibration in machines which! heretofore in use was a serious disadvantage. Figure 1 is side View Of a to machine The present invention therefore contemplates constructed in accordance with this invention, as one of its objects to provide means for adwith parts broken away and in Section, and

justing the amplitude of the vibrations produced. lustrating the manner in which it is attached More specifically it is an object of this invento the hand; tion to provide means for adjusting the degree Figure 2 is a top view of part of the machine or eccentricity in the connection between the with a portion thereof broken way and in s motor shaft and the adjacent stationary bearing tion;

40 so as to efiect a desirable adjustment in the Figure 3 is a C s s ct o ew taken 40 throw of the machine, and consequently in the through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 3-3; amplitude of the vibrations. Figure 4 is a side view with parts broken away It is also an bj t of thi i ti t and in section and with the electric motor vide means whereby this desirable adjustment omitted for e e of y. illustrating pa may be effected without in anywise complicattieulally the eccentric mounting; 45 .ing the design of the machine or greatly in- Figure 5 iS a detail sectional view through the creasing its cost of manufacture. adjustable support for the motor shaft by which Another disadvantage of vibrating machines he amplitude Of v bra n s e u ted; oi the character described was the almost uni- Figure 6 is a P pe t e w Of t s adjustversal use of metal springs for the fastening able connecting means;

bands which hold the machine to the back of Figure 7 s a P pe ve w Similar to Figure the hand. These spring bands, or grips as they 6, but h win he nn c n ans from th are called, allowed the machine to slip down ofi Opposite side;

of the hand, especially when used in a down- Figure 8 is a perspective view of two parts of wardly direction. Besides permitting the mathe adjusting means;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating a slightly modified form of this invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the adjustable connection employed in the construction shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the other cooperating element of the adjustable connection employed in the modification; and

Figure 12 is a detail sectional view of the assembled adjustable eccentric connection employed in the modification.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the base of the machine to the bottom of which a cushion pad 6 is suitably secured. The pad protects the back of the operators hand to which it is strapped by elastic bands 1 and 8.

Projecting up from the opposite ends of the base are two bearing pedestals 9 and I0, and supported between these bearings in a manner to be hereinafter described, is an electric motor II.

The motor II is preferably a high speed motor and has one end l2 of its armature shaft projecting from that end of the motor adjacent to the bearing pedestal 5. At its opposite end the motor housing has a coil spring l3 fixed thereto, the outer end of which is removably secured in the bearing of the pedestal II]. This end of the motor is thus resiliently or flexibly supported, and inasmuch as the coil spring is rigidly secured to the motor casing and the bearing of the pedestal l0,'the motor is held thereby against turning.

A switch l4 carried by the back end of the base controls the connection of the motor with a suitable source of electric current, a rheostat (not shown) being employed to regulate the speed of the motor.

The opposite end of the motor is supported from the bearing of the pedestal 9 by means of an eccentric connection between the bearing and the projecting end l2 of the armature shaft so that when the motor is running, the eccentricity of this connection produces the desired vibration.

The eccentric connection between the motor shaft I2 and the bearing of the pedestal 9 comprises a stub shaft l5 journalled in a ball bearing i6 mounted in the bearing portion of the pedestal 9. This stub shaft is carried by a substantially rectangular block l'i having a longitudinal bore i8 closed at one end and tapped at its open end. The bore l8 constitutes a slideway for a cylindrical plug or slide l9 which is threaded to the projecting end 82 of the armature shaft, the shaft entering the bore l8 through an elongated slot 20 in the side of the block.

A compression spring 2! confined between the bottom of the bore 3 and the plug l9 yieldingly urges the plug outwardly of the bore to a position limited by the engagement of the armature shaft l2 with the outer end of the elongated slot 20. In this position the stub shaft and the armature shaft are substantially axially aligned.

Threaded in the tapped outer end of the bore I8 is an adjusting screw 22 provided with a knurled head 23 to permit the same to be turned in and out. The inner end of this screw bears against the cylindrical plug to move the same against the action of the compression spring 2| into axial misalignment with the armature shaft. The extent of eccentricity or axial offset capable of being effected in this manner is limited by the engagement of the armature shaft with the inner end of the elongated slot 20.

To prevent detachment of the adjusting screw. its inner end has an annularly grooved projection 24 fitting in a short bore 25 in the outer end of the plug IS. A cross pin 26 secured in the plug and engaging in the annular groove of the extension 24 freely rotatably but non-longitudinally movably holds the screw assembled with the plug.

From the description thus far it will be seen that when the motor is running the eccentric relationship between the stub shaft l5 and the armature shaft causes the motor to vibrate at a speed dependent upon the speed of the motor and with an amplitude depending upon the adjustment of the degree of eccentricity; and inasmuch as the connection between the stub shaft and the armature shaft permits adjustment of this eccentricity from zero to maximum, it is readily apparent that the machine may be adjusted to have any desired degree of penetration.

A guard housing 21 is positioned over the bearing of the pedestal 9 and the adjustable connection between the pedestal bearing and the motor to preclude the possibility of contact with the revolving noncircular parts. This guard housing is substantially cup-shapped and is mounted by means of two downwardly directed parallel ears 28 which embrace the sides of the lower portion of the pedestal and are pivotally secured thereto by a screw 29.

The guard housing is held in its closed position by a spring clip 30 fixed thereto and arranged to engage notches 3| in the bearing pedestal 9. An upwardly projecting lip 21' on the periphery of the guard housing facilitates moving the same to open or closed position.

The straps or hands 1 and 8 by which the machine is held to the back of the hand are designed to preclude the possibility of having the machine slip forwardly on the hand during use, particularly when it is used in a downward direction. The larger band 8 fits around the hand directly forwardly of the thumb and the smaller band 1 fits over the middle two fingers. It is essential that the machine be held in a position with the band I in back of the second knuckles of these middle two fingers so that all of the fingers are free for massaging manipulation. The bands I and 8 are therefore formed of rubber having a high coefficient of friction so that after being applied, the machine will not of itself slide forwardly on the hand.

The bands are attached to the base by means of metal clips 32 securely fastened to the ends of the straps or bands and attached to the sides of the base by screws 33 which hold the metal clips firmly against the sides of the base to prevent rattling during operation of the machine.

While the manner of adjusting the eccentricity between the stub shaft and the armature shaft to vary the amplitude of the vibration as hereinbefore described is preferable because the adjustment may be effected with one hand, other means for adjusting the eccentricity may be employed, and in Figures 9 to 12, inclusive, one modified form of this feature of the invention is illustrated.

In this construction, the stub shaft has a circular disk 35 fixed thereto. This disk has an eccentrically disposed bore 36 to receive a cylindrical projection 31 eccentrically mounted on a disk 38 which is larger in diameter than the disk 35. This disk 38 with its cylindrical projection 31 is secured to the projecting end of the armature shaft.

Hence, it will be seen that upon relative rotation of the disks 35 and 38, the degree of eccentricity between the axes of the stub shaft and armature shaft may be adjusted to either maximum or minimum as defined by detents consisting of spring pressed balls 39 carried by the disk 38 and engageable in recesses 40 formed in the bottom of the bore 36. While only two positions of adjustment are provided in this instance, it is obvious that by increasing the number of detent positions, finer adjustment of the amplitude of vibration may be obtained.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides simple means for adjusting the amplitude of the vibration produced by a hand vibrator, and that it also provides a simple expedient for preventing the vibrator from slipping away from its proper position on the back of the hand.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a hand vibrator of the type adapted to be strapped to the hand of an operator: 8. base; an electric motor; flexible means supporting one end of the motor from the base and holding the motor against turning. said motor having a shaft, one end of which projects at the opposite end of the rotor; a fixed bearing carried by the base adjacent to said projecting end of the motor shaft; a stub shaft journalled in said bearing; a block transversely fixed to the stub shaft, said block having a longitudinal slideway therein closed at one end; a slide fixed to the motor shaft and slidable in said slideway; a spring between the closed end of the slideway and the slide for yieldingly urging the slide in one direction to effect relative radial motion between the stub shaft and the motor shaft; an adjusting screw closing the other end of the slideway and acting in opposition to the spring; a guard covering said block and the parts carried thereby: and means mounting the guard for swinging movement with respect to the base to enable the same to be swung to a position uncovering the block for adjustment of its screw.

2. In a hand vibrator of the character described: a base; an electric motor having a shaft, one end of which projects at one end of the motor;

flexible means for supporting the opposite end of the motor from the base and for holding the motor against turning; a fixed bearing carried by the base adjacent to the projecting end of the motor shaft; an adjustable eccentric connection between the projecting end of the motor shaft and said bearing including a rotatable member having portions thereof projecting unequal distances from the axis of rotation; a stub shaft journalled in said bearing and fixed transversely to said rotatable member, said rotatable member having a longitudinal slideway therein closed at one end; a slide fixed to the motor shaft and slidable in said slideway; a spring yieldingly urging the slide in one direction to efiect relative radial motion between the motor shaft and the stub shaft; and adjusting screw closing th other end of the slideway'and acting in opposition to the spring; a susbtantially cylindrical guard housing covering said rotatable member and the parts carried thereby; means pivotally mounting said guard housing from the base; and means for releasably holding the guard housing in its guarding position substantially axially aligned with the motor while allowing the same to be swung to an open position exposing the adjusting screw of the eccentric connection.

3. In a vibrator of the character described having a base and an electric motor, one end of which is flexibly mounted from the base, and the other end of which has a motor shaft projecting therefrom: an adjustable eccentric mounting to support the last named end of the motor from the base comprising-a bearing fixed to the base; a stub shaft joumalled in the bearing; a member fixed to the stub shaft and having a slideway transverse to the axis of the stub shaft, said slideway being closed at one end and open at its other end; a slide movable in said slideway and secured to the projecting end of the motor shaft; an adjustable screw threaded in the open end of the slideway and engaging the slide to move the same and effect relative axial adjustment between the stub and the motor shaft; and a spring confined between the closed end of the slideway and the slide tending at all times to push the slide out of the slideway and thereby guard against accidental turning of the adjusting screw.

JOHN OS'IER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,181,282. November 28, 1959.

JOHN OS'I'ERf It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 29, claim 1, for the word "rotor". read motor; and that the said Letters Patent" should be read with this correction therein that the same m y conform to the record of the .case inthe Patent Office. Signed and sealed this 2nd day of January, A. D. 19110.

. Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,181,282. November 28, 1959.

JOHN os'r R f It is hereby,' certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 29, claim 1, for the word "rotor". read motor; and that the said Letters Patent 'hould be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day r January, A. 1). 1 m.

Henry Van Arsdele, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

